Shoot the Messenger
by Matoko Shizaki
Summary: Sequel to Be Mine. Zell finds himself alone again and an unexpected person walks back into his life... SeiferZell
1. Prologue

Shoot the Messenger- Prologue

By Matoko Shizaki

Disclaimer: FF8 © Squaresoft. The name "Marina" is not the library girl's name, it's just me bullshitting.

Notes: Oh em eff gee! Sequel! X3 Yeah, and only a year since my last review. Sorry I left you guys hangin' so long. But now, here it is! My alternative sequel to "Be Mine." If you wanna take this as the real ending to the novel-ish thingy, then go ahead. Likewise, if you were happy with Zell/Marina, just ignore this. It's all in fun and creativity.

A little side note though: I'm already working on side stories for after this. :3 I don't have titles yet, but with the rate I'm working on them, I'll have them out before this fic is done.

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The door slid shut behind Zell as he stepped into the hallway outside of his dorm room. Judging from the current state of the residential hall, Selphie had been put in charge of decorating again. Just like last year, the Garden was bathed in a nauseating amount of pink, red, and white. The halls were adorned in the usual streamers, balloons, and hearts that had become a Valentine's Day penchant for the Garden Festival Committee, but it seems that this year Selphie had seen fit to cling to a them and a fairytale theme at that. Large posters of knights rescuing princesses, handsome princes, and dragons breathing hearts instead of fire only added to the ridiculousness of the décor. So much for themes making everything better.

Zell choked back a laugh and started towards the main lobby. Last year, the decoration had only added to his irritation. There wasn't a single guy alive who liked Valentine's Day. This time the obnoxious display of cavity causing sweetness and romance only made him feel more excited. It was Valentine's Day: the new official favorite holiday of Zell Dincht.

"What a year…" Zell muttered as he jammed his hands into his pocket, with a smirk, noting that he felt a flashback coming. A little more than a year ago, he'd been wandering the halls cursing Valentine's Day and all that it entailed. Of course, that was before he'd found the letter that sparked the best year of his young life, a fantastic year that wouldn't have been possible without Marina. Now he understood why Squall and Irvine always felt on top of the world. They'd had Rinoa and Selphie for a long time. Now it was his turn to feel the love—literally. He'd been able to wake up every day with a smile on his face and the corniest love song in his heart. Nothing seemed too sad or too hard for the blond martial artist to handle. Missions, training, teaching new recruits… it was all a blur thrust into the back of his mind by the memories of the time he'd spent with his girlfriend. Everything else in the year had led to this moment: their first anniversary.

With a smile, Zell retrieved a box from his back pocket. It had been hard to pick the perfect first anniversary gift, but he'd finally found it at a little jewelry shop in Dollet while on his last mission. True, he had been in a rush because his mission lasted for the week before Valentine's Day, but his patience had paid off. He could only hope that it would be good enough to light up her eyes and bring that gorgeous smile to her angelic face. He grinned just thinking about it and returned the box to his back pocket.

"Whatcha grinning about, Chickenwuss?"

Zell froze. _Oh no… not now… Anytime but now…_

He turned slowly, noticing for the first time that Seifer was leaning in the doorway separating the SeeD and student dorms. The former white knight smirked, his arms casually crossed over his broad chest.

_Has he been following me or something! _Zell thought, his startled expression melding into a glare. _Betcha he was just passing through and decided to fuck with me. Well, not today! _

"Piss off, Seifer." he growled. "Can't you give it a rest just for today?"

There was something that had only increased his misery over the past year: Seifer Almasy. For some reason or another, having a girlfriend had only made Seifer hate him more than before. Whether that was possible or not, Zell didn't know. All he knew was that it was a lot worse than before. _Probably just frickin' jealous. _Zell thought holding back a sneer. Seifer, despite his amazingly sexy looks, had remained single after the one summer where he had managed to steal Rinoa's heart. Zell paused in his musings. _Did I just think 'amazingly sexy?' What the hell! This guy messes with my head without even doing anything! _Despite himself, Zell found he was growing red in the face.

"Nope. It's my job." Seifer shrugged, the smug look never leaving his defined features. He approached and Zell automatically brought his fists up into his fighting stance.

"Chill, Chickenwuss. I'm not here to kick your ass for once. Just thought I'd give you some…" The taller blond paused, searching for the right word. Grinning, he found it. "Advice."

"Oh, and what's that?" Zell took a step back, hoping to put as much distance between himself and the former knight as possible without looking intimidated. "If you're going to tell me to stay outta your way 'cause you're a total bastard, that's not a problem at all."

"It's about your little lover. What's her face… the dorky one…?" His grinned widened as he sensed Zell's temper flare. "Gotta whole romantic evening set up, doncha?"

"What's it to you? Ya jealous, Seifer?" Zell countered. His taunts, however, lacked the confidence and the bite Seifer's had.

"I wouldn't be so sure things are all fine and dandy."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zell took another step back, Seifer's words setting him on edge. "Is that a threat or something?"

"What are you, retarded?" Seifer took another step forward, closing the distance between Zell and himself. "It already told you. It's advice. She's gonna dump ya, Dincht. You're just too stupid to see it coming."

This time Zell didn't just take a step back. He _jumped_ back. "That's bullshit! Now I know you're just fucking with me! Marina and I are just fine! You're just been pissed about us from the start!" For a quick moment, Zell couldn't help but wonder what had made Seifer so mad about his relationship with his secret admirer in the first place. What Seifer did next halted his thoughts.

The knight seized Zell by the collar and lifted him off his feet with little effort. With one swift step, Seifer had the martial artist pinned to the wall two feet off the ground.

"Mad?" Seifer's words hissed from between clenched teeth. "Hardly! Two fucking morons are made for each other! Only and idiot would date a girl he hardly knew. I hope you get ripped to fucking shreds tonight!"

Zell swallowed hard and met Seifer's smoldering green gaze. There was something dangerous in the knight's eyes that Zell recognized as blood lust. For someone in his position, it was best not to tempt him to prove his skill with a gunblade.

Seeing the submission in Zell's eyes, Seifer tossed him aside. The smaller blond landed three feet from the knight, barely able to break his own fall despite his years of combat knowledge. Seifer shot Zell another murderous glare and stalked out towards the main lobby.

Although he had been in numerous fights before with enemies much more powerful than the failed knight, Zell had never been quite so startled in his whole life. There was something about those eyes…

"Zell, are you okay!"

Zell looked away from the door Seifer had disappeared into and spotted Quistis hurrying down the hall towards him. Apparently their fight had been so loud that it caught Quistis' attention as she was cooking. The former teacher was still wearing her chocobo apron, one that she never cooked without and a source of many jokes in their circle of friends.

She knelt down next to Zell and put a hand to his shoulder. "What happened? I could hear the shouting down the hall!"

Zell smiled nervously and removed her hand from his shoulder. "Yeah… I'll live."

"That only answers half of my question." Quistis said, helping him to his feet. "What happened?"

"Seifer. That bastard…"

It was all Zell needed to say. Quistis sighed and puts her hands to her hips.

"That man… honestly…"

Zell flinched. Her tone was almost… affectionate. It was almost like a mother scolding a child. Quistis looked back and him and noticed the pained confusion scrawled across his face.

"He's just having a lot of problems right now. I've been trying to helping him but sometimes..." She trailed off.

"...Right now?" Zell snorted. "Quistis, the guy has _always _had problems. He's a regular psychopath!"

Quistis sighed but didn't offer a reply.

"He's sitting here telling me Marina is going to break up with me! This guy is just trying to totally screw with my brain! And for what reason, huh?"

The strawberry blond shrugged. "Just… stay away from him now."

"You don't have to tell me twice…" Zell snorted.

"And don't let what he says get to you, Zell." She patted his shoulder again and smiled. "Enjoy tonight."

"Like I said, don't have to tell me twice." The blond smiled back at Quistis. She was completely right, as usual. Seifer ruined a lot of things, and Zell wasn't about to let him ruin his mood today.

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The last rays of the setting sun pierced through the steam curling out of the bathroom window and danced across the moist tiles of Zell's bathroom. The blond ran a hand through his wet hair and threw open the shower curtain with a satisfied grin. He examined what he could see of his reflection in the mirror on the wall and stepped out. Tonight was going to be perfect. And it was just like Irvine had told him.

"'A perfect date starts with the right preparation.'" Zell exclaimed heartily as he mimicked Irvine's slight drawl.

The blond stepped out of the shower, snatched up the towel he'd laid out, and loosely wrapped it around his hips. His jutting hipbones kept the towel from falling off as he crossed to the sink. Using the side of his hand, Zell wiped away the condensation that had gather on the mirror and grinned again. Nothing could screw tonight up for him. Not even the plague that was Seifer Almasy.

He gelled up his hair, humming along with the love song he'd had stuck in his head for the past hour. It was an upbeat love song, another one that Julia had written during her short career. Albeit being a classic, it had always been a favorite of Zell's. He liked the lyrics too. Something about fools falling in love… it had always reminded him of himself. The fact that it was really about Laguna didn't bother him one bit. He was the fool and tonight it was his song.

With his hair gelled and his shaving done in the shower, Zell headed back to his room to retrieve his formal SeeD uniform. It was spread out on his bed, pressed, clean, and glimmering in the light of his small lamp. The sight of it never failed to invoke pride in Zell. He was a SeeD… which was more than Seifer Almasy would ever become.

_Quit thinking about him! _Zell told himself as he shook his head and picked up the uniform. _The thought of him is enough to ruin the night! _

Zell removed the towel from his waist, threw it in the general direction of his desk, and began dressing. As he pulled on his boxers and dress pants, he mused over the evening. First, he was going to take Marina to dinner in Balamb. After that, there was the dance. And after that… Zell grinned at the possibilities. Who knew?

He crossed to the full-length mirror next to his punching bag and did up his dress coat. "Lookin' good, Dincht!" Zell commented with a grin. He paused, sunk into his fighting stance, and tested a few punches at the air. The uniform stretched to allow his movement, a genius part of their design. He grinned again, lowered his fists, and readjusted his coat. "Well, time to go."

With a new bounce in his step, Zell strode to his desk, scooped up the flowered he'd bought Marina, and strolled out, singing to himself as he went.

"I played the messenger and I played the fool… Cupid shoots the messenger too… That's why I say only fools… only fools fall in love!"

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Grinning like the fool he was, Zell led Marina from the dance floor out to the quad and over to the stage where he'd found her sitting in waiting a year ago.

"Zell…" Marina said as almost a word of caution. The martial artist spun, caught her eyes, and smiled.

"I have something for you." he said excitedly as he reaches into his pocket. The hand Marina laid on his arm stopped him.

"Zell, I wanted to talk to you. Before you do anything rash that is." She blushed a little and Zell found himself blushing as well.

_Does she think… I'm going to propose? _The idea of marriage spun Zell's head, but for a second he reveled in it. Him and Marina… married… It was too good to be true. Zell noticed the patient look on her face that told him she was waiting for an answer and shook off the thought.

"Y-yeah, what is it?"

"Well…" Marina wrung her hands together, one of her many nervous habits. "About this past week…"

"I missed you too." Zell chimed in, taking her hands. "And I'm sorry, I didn't think I'd have that mission! I'm going to apply for some time off so we can do something. Maybe a trip, you know."

"That's not it." Marina pulled her hands from his and turned, contemplating the light streaming from the windows of the ballroom.

"Then… what is it?" Zell asked, puzzled.

"I had a lot of time to think." She turned back to him. "About us. About everything..." Marina paused for a moment, considering her next words. "I think we should stop seeing each other for a while."

Zell's heart dropped into his stomach and bile rose to the back of his throat. _This so isn't happening… _

"Wh-what? You mean… break up?"

"Well… yes." Marina nodded and looked him in the eyes. "I'm sorry Zell… I just need some time apart. You understand, right?"

The blond nodded weakly, unable to think as his thoughts began spinning. _Seifer was right… how the fuck could he have been right! Th-this isn't happening… I fell asleep in the shower. That's it! Fell asleep in the shower… I—_

Marina cupped his cheek, breaking his chain of thought. "Zell, are you alright?" She looked genuinely worried, but not in the way she used to. For the first time, Zell saw it. It was a friendly look, not a romantic look. She'd been quite around him the past few weeks too. How could he have not seen it!

"Y-yeah…" Zell jerked away from her touch and took a step back. "I-I'll go now…" He took another stumbling step back and, without looking back as Marina called his name, barreled off into the snow.

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The pond was frozen over this time of year and everything that has once sparkled with greenery and life was dead. How he hadn't noticed the gloominess of February, Zell didn't know. Then again, he hadn't noticed a lot of stuff lately.

Zell stood at the edge of the pond staring into the murky, cold depths. _It's true, _he thought bitterly. _Only fools fall in love. The smart know better… They know they'll get hurt… _

With a sudden rush of fury, Zell withdrew the box from his back pocket and threw back his arm, ready to pitch it into the snow. Right before he released the box, he hesitated. _Don't do that… You'll regret it later_. With a heavy sigh, Zell returned the box to his pocket.

"Hyne damn Valentine's Day…" Zell muttered, feeling the tears rise in his eyes. Zell Dincht hadn't been one to cry, not since he was a little kid. Right now, he rationalized, the situation called for it.

He slumped down, sitting in the snow, and laid his head in his hands.

So much for happily ever after.

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There we go! I finally have a prologue to this. Hope you liked it! Read and review if you please!


	2. Chapter 1

Shoot the Messenger- Chapter 1

By Matoko Shizaki

Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, loo dee doo!

Notes: Okay, so I don't necessarily keep my deadlines… Ever… . ;; I'm really really sorry about that… Um, maybe this is a good Christmas present?

Thanks for the reviews so far! I'm so sorry I didn't update quick and thank you for waiting so long! I'll do my best to keep this rolling. Without further ado, here's the reviewer column!

Special thanks to:

Trio Wing

Eoko Formerly Known as Hicky

Yaoi4life

Miyo Yukimora

Syciara-Lynx

Dysis Raine

Obesophobia

Psycho

Red Stitches

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"_Please don't go crazy if I tell you the truth_

_No, you don't know what happened_

_And you never will if_

_You don't listen to me while I talk to the wall_

_This blanket is freezing; it's been out in the hall_

_Where you've had me for hours_

'_Til I'm sure what I want_

_But, darling, I want the same thing that I wanted before_

_So, sweetheart, tell me what's up; I won't stop _

_No way…"_

_-- How to be Dead_ by Snow Patrol

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"Thank you for him bringing here."

"Couldn't leave him in the snow."

"No… I suppose you couldn't..." A smile colored the words.

A tense pause.

"…Still has a fever, huh?"

"Yes… but it shouldn't be long until it goes down. If you'd like I can stay with him until then. I'll let you know when the fever breaks."

Another pause.

"…Yeah, thanks."

"It's nothing."

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The infirmary was deathly still that morning, a kind of quite that soothed but bothered Quistis. It was a sign that most students were well… but also a sign that Zell still hadn't woken up. She lowered the book she was reading and gazed down into the sweating, sleeping face of the blond martial artist. He'd been brought in at one that morning, shaking and shivering with cold and fever. It was a wonder he didn't have frostbite! Dr. Kadowaki had estimated he'd been out there since ten, a totally of three hours in the snow.

"Zell…" Quistis sighed. She gently put a hand to his forehead to test his fever. It was still going strong. Slowly she removed her hand and sighed again. She'd heard the rumor going around and, from the look of things, it was true. Last night, Zell Dincht was indeed dumped by his girlfriend of one year.

The former teacher stood and strode to the window, treading on soft leather heels. Outside it was snowing heavily, and had been doing so since midnight. _An hour before Zell was turned in to Dr. Kadowaki… _She sighed and turned back to look at Zell.

"Zell, why do you do these things to yourself?" She shook her head. "Yes, she left you but…" Quistis paused. "She's not the only one who cares for you…" Quistis sat back down and continued. "You have friends, Zell, very dear ones. We can help you through this if you just let us…"

She looks away, back to the snowstorm that raged outside, and found that she could only hope for the best. Quistis had always been the big sister, at least ever since Elle left. She was always there to help, and in fact some of the least likely members of the old orphanage were taking her up on said help. Sometimes she could even get Squall to talk to her. But with Zell… He wanted to be strong. And being strong, in the mind of a man, meant doing it on your own. _If he wants help bad enough, he'll ask. _Quistis assured herself. _You can't help everybody…_

A cough in the bed to her side caught her attention. The bed shifted from the weight as the coughing patient sat up. Zell was finally awake.

"Shit…" he muttered hoarsely as he ran his hands through his sweaty blond hair. He looks up at the former teacher. "Quistis…? What're you doin' here?"

Quistis eased him back down onto the bed. "I've been here to make sure you don't get sicker. Your fever still hasn't gone down, so you should rest."

Zell laughed, a bitter, humorless laugh, and looked into her eyes. "Haven't been sick since I was ten… Good time to be sick though…" He looked away.

"…Zell, this is because Marina dumped you, isn't it?"

"Bull's eye…" Zell muttered as he snuggled deeper into his blankets. It was the last thing he wanted to talk about but something told him he was in for a Quistis interrogation session.

He heard her sigh and sit back down.

"One lost relationship isn't the end of the world." she said, her voice soothing. Although she was comforting to listen to, these were words Zell didn't want to hear.

"That's easy for you to say! You've had several relationships! This is it for me!" Zell paused to cough. "I… I only had her!"

"Well—"

"Quistis?" Dr. Kadowaki's voice stopped Quistis before she'd even gotten started. "I'm sorry, but Zell needs more rest and shouldn't be aggravated."

"Yes, of course." Quistis stood, picking up her book. "I'm sorry, Dr. Kadowaki." She spared a glance towards Zell. "We'll talk later, ok? Just keep your chin up in the meantime."

Zell snorted. _Very easy for you to say…_

His silence was accepted with another sign. Quistis hadn't expected an answer. "I'll be back in a few hours. Take it easy, Zell." she said more gently. The only response she got this time was a terse nod. Without another word, Quistis stepped out.

Quistis might have left, but Zell still had the boisterous Dr. Kadowaki to deal with. Something bitter and nagging in the back of his mind told him that he was in for many more lectures today.

" Zell Dincht…" the doctor started.

Yes, today was truly not his day; it had passed from a sinking feeling to an official fact. And, he noted, another thing was now official: Valentine's Day was now Zell Dincht's most hated holiday ever. With a groan, Zell curled the blankets over his head and pinned them below his body, determined to cocoon himself away in them for the rest of his miserable life.

"Go awaaaaaay…!" he moaned from below the covers. "I don't need this right now, doc!"

Doctor Kadawaki huffed and ripped the covers off of Zell's head with one strong jerk. Rattled by the sudden yank that only reminded him of the pounding in his head, Zell groaned and lay back on the pillow. Suddenly he felt too weak to fight back.

"I'll tell you what you _don't _need now: self-pity! Pity has never cured a fever of 103 degrees! And neither has whining for that matter! You're a SeeD, so act like it!" Briskly, the doctor set to pulling the covers back up on Zell and tucking them in under his chin. "You do, however, need to listen to what I and Quistis tell you to do." She turned to the nightstand and picked up the bottle of cough medicine and a container of aspirin she had set there earlier. "Now, I have some medicine for you."

Zell groaned again and sat up again. "You're kidding… Not that cherry crap…"

Doctor Kadawaki held the nurse's cap to her eye level and filled it with a steady hand. "Do you want to get better or not?"

"Will I die if I don't?" Zell replied sourly,

The doctor didn't answer. Instead, she thrust the cap full of medicine under Zell's nose.

"Drink."

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"She whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!"

Quistis clapped her hands over her ears to block out the squeal that issued forth from Selphie as she bounced up and down in her chair excitedly. Irvine, who was sitting to his girlfriend's immediate left, leaned away a bit. It was amazing, Quistis thought with a glance to Squall, sitting calmly on Selphie's right, that the SeeD commander could sit through Selphie's tirade without so much as flinching. A side effect of all his extensive battle training, Quistis decided.

"Calm down, baby…" he drawled, carefully patting her shoulder.

"Calm down? Calm down?! Irvy, didn't you hear what the girl did to Zell!! She's driving him to an early grave!!"

"That's a little too dramatic, Selphie…" Quistis explained, removing her hands from her ears. "He's just sick… He'll probably spend another day in the infirmary and then be released."

"But still!" The brunette stood up so suddenly that her chair would have toppled over behind her had it not been for a swift catch on Squall's part. Quistis sighed with relief and opened her mouth to speak, but Selphie swiftly cut her off.

"How can she just do that?! Who breaks up with someone on their one year anniversary anyway?!"

"Someone who's been lying about their feelings."

Selphie halted and looked over at Squall who had spoken for the first time that morning. The commander looked up at her from under his mess of brown hair with piercing blue eyes. His expression was calm and rigid as usual, but a sense of worry permeated his façade.

"It's clear," Squall continued. "That Marina has been falling out of love with Zell for weeks. It doesn't take one week to decide to end a long relationship, especially one with someone so affectionate as Zell. Unless there was another man…" The group regarded him with tense silence as the idea settled in. "But," Squall added. "Knowing Marina, that seems highly unlikely."

Selphie finally sat down with a pout. "Well then, she shouldn't have done this on Valentine's Day at least!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "If I see her again—" With one quick, deft movement, Selphie lashed her arms out to the sides, fists balled. "WHAM!"

Squall ducked out of the way with practiced skill but Irvine was not so lucky.

As Selphie helped the fallen Irvine to his feet, pressing a napkin to his bleeding nose and apologized fervently, Quistis excused herself from the table. She still had other people to talk with.

Irvine, noting Quistis's swift exit, waved Selphie's hand away and looked to Squall. "What do you suppose she left for?"

Squall shrugged, but smiled slightly. Quistis was doing it again: looking out for all the orphans.

-------

"…So, how's he doing?"

"Alright. At least, as good as could be expected. He's crushed."

"And the stunt with the snow bank didn't help much either."

"His fever is breaking from what I hear."

"Hmph, at least something good… What about _her?"_

"She left this morning to visit family."

"Covering her ass."

"Come on, that's hardly fair… she must be having a hard time as well. She needs space to think about it… Perhaps… well, maybe she'll even retract her words."

"…"

"It would make him happy you know."

"…"

"… You should go visit him. He needs a good talking to right about now."

"No way, no how!"

"It was just a suggestion…"

"…I'm going to be late. I'll see you later."

"…Bye."

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Fourteen down. Name for the formula F k(q1 x q2)/r2.

"Who. Gives. A. Rat's. Ass?"

Zell sighed and threw aside the crossword puzzle he was attempting to do. He'd been in the infirmary for two days already and, although his fever had broken, Doctor Kadawaki made sure that he stayed bedridden. 'For observance reasons.' she had told him.

"Observance…" Zell snorted and crosses his arms. "I'm not as little kid! And dammit, I can take care of myself!"

He threw his arms out, exasperated, and knocked the stack of magazines and books on his side table to the ground with a crash.

"Apparently not."

Zell looked up, nursing a sore hand and scowling at the newcomer. His attitude changed quickly when he recognized his command leaning coolly in the doorway.

"Squall!"

The SeeD nodded, pushed off of the doorframe, and entered.

"If you're up to it, we have a new mission." He handed Zell a folder which the blond eagerly began browsing. Squall smiled inwardly. If there was something to take Zell's mind off of his relationship problems, it was a mission.

"Timber?" Zell looked up, his eyes bright for the first time in days.

"The President maybe be dead, but Galbadia has passed to another dangerous leader."

Zell quirked an eyebrow curiously.

"His niece."

"Aw hell… More of that damn family…"

Squall pulled up a chair and straddled it, leaning against what was supposed to be the back of the chair as he talked.

"She's a talented politician in her own right. Apparently she was a leading member of the parliament when her uncle was killed. His twisted martyrdom rallied support to her and she won the election two months ago."

Zell nodded a little. He remembered there was a new president of Galbadia, but politics had never interested him. Now he was starting to regret that a little.

"So, more helping the resistance? I could go for that right now." Zell smirked a tad. "After all, no one's as hopeless with girls as Zone. Makes you feel a little bit better about yourself, huh?" The smirk turned into a weak grin.

Squall smiled a bit and shook his head in response before standing up and returning the chair to its original position.

"There will be a briefing tomorrow. I'd like to have you there if Doctor Kadawaki will let you go."

"She'd better! I've been stuck here too damn long!" For emphasis, he seized two fist-fulls of blanket and made like he would tear it apart.

"I'll speak with her. After all, the second in command should be at the briefing."

Zell paused and released the blanket. "Wh-what did you say?"

Squall smirked and picked the folder back up off Zell's covers. "You're going to be the second in command for this mission."

"You mean it, man?! No joke?!"

"No joke."

It took all Squall's self control not to laugh out loud at the blond. The idea of being second in command had him squirming like an excited little kid at Christmas.

"I won't let you down, Squall! I promise!" Zell grinned and pumped a fist.

Squall nodded briefly. "Rest then, you'll need it."

"You got it!" Zell settled back into the bed, grinning in satisfaction.

Squall patted Zell's shoulder gently and headed to the door.

"Um… Squall?"

The commander paused and looked back over at his shoulder. Zell was smiling softly, his excitement having cooled a little.

"Thanks. I mean it."

Squall smiled back and nodded. "Tomorrow, Zell." He waved briskly and left.

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Woohoo!! I finally have something for all of you. - I'm sorry it's taken for-freakin'-ever. This is definitely a Christmas present for you guys for a. put up with me and b. waiting so long for an update. Let's hope I'm better with the next one. -;;


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